36 THE AUKS 



has been inferred that both male and female took part in incubation. 

 Some of the eggs now in existence show traces of a bluish green 

 ground-colour. Naturally in the course of years this colour would 

 have faded considerably, especially as many of them were kept as 

 ornaments and constantly exposed to the light. In this connection 

 it is interesting to note that Martin speaks of the eggs as " variously 

 spotted, black, green and dark." Probably when fresh they resembled 

 gigantic eggs of the razorbill, some showing a tendency to approach 

 the ordinary type of the guillemot in colour. At the present time it 

 is believed that there are about 73 eggs in existence, and probably 

 about 77 skins or mounted specimens. 



The only sound which we know this bird to have made is a low 

 croak. They seem to have been inoffensive, never making the slightest 

 attempt to defend their eggs, but occasionally biting fiercely when 

 handled incautiously. From the fact that two specimens are known 

 to have been captured after being enticed to within a yard or two of a 

 boat, it is clear that these birds had no great fear of man. In fact, all 

 that we know of them seems to show that their intelligence was of a 

 low order, and probably only their extraordinary powers of diving and 

 swimming saved them from disappearing at an earlier period of history 

 from the Atlantic. 



BLACK-GUILLEMOT 

 [F. B. KIRKMAN] 



The black-guillemot is not, as its English popular name implies, a 

 member of the same genus as the common guillemot; it differs 

 from the latter both in its internal and external structure. The most 

 obvious external differences are in the shape of the bill and the 

 coloration of the plumage. In the breeding season the guillemot 

 has a somewhat Pickwickian aspect, owing to its expanse of white 

 breast. The plumage of the black-guillemot, on the other hand, is, 



